Berta Alfonso

My name is Berta Alfonso. I am a design engineer at Kennedy Space Center. I have been working in design engineering all of my engineering career life (15 years now). I have designed circuit cards and written software for various project here at KSC. My first design was a card to emulate the Payload Signal Processor (PSP). The PSP is a shuttle flight box which sends commands to payloads. My card is presently used in the Partial Payload Checkout Unit to test payloads on the ground before they are launched. I have also worked developing Health and Status software for the processing of Space Station modules. Currently, I am designing a flight interface card to receive X-34 flight data for on-board analysis. I am very excited about this project because it will be my first flight card. All in all, I have learned a great deal with all the projects. I am fortunate to work in a great group.

My average day always involves trying to solve some problem. If I am at the start of a project, I need to gather information about the system and what is expected from my piece. Once the design is underway, usually the best part for me, I start investigating all my options on which components to pick and how to best connect them. I draw up schematics (drawing showing the logic). Now-a-days, we do a lot with Programmable Logic Devices (PLD). Designing with PLDs is almost like writing a program. You write logic statement that you hope will accomplish your task. Once that is done, you need to simulate the design to make sure it works before you build it. This is important because designs are usually complicated and timing is always an issue. We have a draft person who does our Printed Circuit Board (PCB) layout. That is the conversion of my schematic drawings into drawings of the physical card and connections. We then send the board to be manufactured. It’s great to see your ideas develop into a tangible object. We have a technician that will solder the parts to the board for us. Then comes the debugging. That is, finding anything you might have overlooked. There usually is something. Fortunately, with PLDs you can sometimes solve it by programming a new part without redoing your board. At least that’s what you hope. Once you have a product that works you test it and finish up your documentation. With software the process is similar except you don’t have physical part you can point to. I really enjoy the creating aspect of my job.

I was always good in Math. I came from Cuba at age six, not knowing a word of English. I found that Math was a subject I didn’t need English to understand. I guess that’s why I always have liked it. It has always made sense to me. They are universal rules. By second grade I was fluent in English and enjoyed all my subjects, but math was still my favorite. I had considered being a Math teacher in high school. I then started learning about computers and engineering from a friend who had been to her high school counselor. It sounded so exciting that I knew it was my future. Actually, Computer Engineering was so new that the University of Miami was still not accredited for that degree. They were accredited the following year after I graduated. They instead, offered me a Bachelors in Electrical Engineering with Computer Option. A long title for the same thing.

My parents always encouraged me to go to college. Having to leave their country with nothing at all but a suitcase, they always stressed that material things can be taken away, but knowledge will always be yours. They knew first hand that without a degree, you have to work harder to succeed. My dad was unable to complete school in Cuba. When he came to the US he worked as a janitor and dish washer to support my mom, my sister, and myself. I grew up seeing him reach for better and better positions. He later poured over entomology books to obtain his pest control licenses. Now he is the successful owner of his own pest control company. His constant perseverance and dedication has always been an inspiration to me. I have no better example that you can accomplish anything you set your mind to.

The major obstacle I have had to overcome to get to where I am today was my shyness. I was the first in my family to obtain a college degree and did not know the ropes. Finding out about financial resources for college was difficult due to my shyness. Fortunately, I must have had a guardian angel looking after me, because I always seemed to somehow find a way to cover my tuition. My first two years of college I went to Miami-Dade Community College on a Scholar's Grant that paid all my tuition because of my high school grades (a deal I could not pass up). At the University of Miami things were a little tougher. I worked part-time and used student loans and some financial aid to cover the classes, but I still needed more money to cover a full load. When registering one semester, I accidentally found out about a grant for engineers on the dean's list. Had I been more involved in school, I would have known about all my opportunities sooner. I also would have enjoyed my college life more. Fortunately, I was able to rush my paperwork and continued keeping a full load of classes until graduation. You live and learn. All experiences, good or bad, have something to teach you. It's your job to look back and learn. People that didn't know me then have a hard time imagining me shy. I'm not an extrovert, but I enjoy people and life so much more now.

I have two beautiful children (Victor, 12, and Sabrina, 3). My husband and children are my world. Family to me always comes first. Fortunately, NASA acknowledges the importance of pursuing happiness in your whole life in order to be productive. I try to keep my priorities straight and have yet to see a conflict between my work life and home. NASA is very generous with leave (time to take off from work for vacation or sickness). I was able to take off 6 months when I had Sabrina and work half time (at half pay) for another 6 months until she turned 1. Fortunately, with my husband's engineering salary, cutting my pay in half for 6 months was not a great financial impact. Sabrina now goes to the day care right here at KSC as her brother did when he was little. It is a great relief to know she is near by and in safe, caring hands.

In my spare time I love to travel and spend quality time with my kids and husband. Victor is into sports and girls now. Sabrina is into ballet. To top it off, we recently built a new house. So, finding spare time and money is harder this year. With a little planning, we hope to get back to travelling next year.

In closing, the message I would like to give all who read this is: "Follow your dreams." Learn from your past and keep reaching for your goal. You'll make it!

View Berta's Video profile created by Brianna, from our Young Women's Advisory Council.

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